'He had every encouragement from his team, his coach and his manager to get out there and compete as hard as he did in England's first innings,' said Whatmore.
Chandra Shaffter, the Sri Lanka tour manager, added: ' The arguments have only started since he did well.'
The Sri Lankan management, however, may be forced to change its tune if there is an ICC report.
It could trigger a three-stage process eventually banning Perera from the game unless he irons out the obvious kinks in the delivery action of his left arm.
It is barely beyond question that Perera's style contravenes the rules which say that a bowling arm should not be straightened in the final moments of delivery.
His action has been repeatedly analysed and condemmed by expert commentators on both Sky TV and Channel Four over the last 48 hours, in which time he has bowled 31 overs at England's batsmen.
No one has been more scathing than Sportsmail columnist Bob Willis who said: 'I think he throws virtually every ball and it's staggering to me that the guy has managed to get to this level of the game with a bowling action like that.
'It is the most obvious throwing I have seen from a seam bowler for a long time.'
The history of the game is littered with rumours of bowlers being suspected of throwing their quicker deliveries, but Perera's case is unusual on two fronts.
Primarily, he does not have a distinctly quicker ball. The speed gun at Lord's has recorded him averaging around 80 mph, but with a top pace just three miles an hour faster.
That supports the Willis theory that he in fact throws every delivery. The second oddity concerns the widespread outrage.
To publicly question a bowler's action, without an official investigation, is to risk being challenged in the libel courts.
As Barry Richards, the Sri Lanka batting coach, said yesterday: 'I don't want to be involved. His career could be at stake.'
But so many others were too convinced to worry about legal threats.
The only comeback yesterday was in the Test Match Special radio box, where Jonathan Agnew received several e-mails claiming his views were based more on racism than cricketing knowledge.
